Just got a new toy

[Adrian W]

After a lot of years of not having a motorcycle, enduro. I bought one yesterday (Wednesday). I hope I can come up with a way to take it along on some camping trips. 2008 Yamaha XT250. Somewhat light weight, but not sure if it just to heavy to haul around on the back of the Scamp. What do you guys think? Dry Weight - 271 lb
I plan to try and use the rear carrier I use on the Scamp to haul it. Haven't got it all put together yet. But I have a plan worked out. Only hitch will be, the bike is too heavy back there. I will keep the speed to 55 mph for sure with it there.

[kconley]

After a lot of years of not having a motorcycle, enduro. I bought one yesterday (Wednesday). I hope I can come up with a way to take it along on some camping trips. 2008 Yamaha XT250. Somewhat light weight, but not sure if it just to heavy to haul around on the back of the Scamp. What do you guys think? Dry Weight - 271 lb
I plan to try and use the rear carrier I use on the Scamp to haul it. Haven't got it all put together yet. But I have a plan worked out. Only hitch will be, the bike is too heavy back there. I will keep the speed to 55 mph for sure with it there.

Maybe you could rig up 1 on the carriers that the front wheel sits in & the weight is on the rear wheel tracking behind..... Bb

[Roger H]

Adrian, the naysayers have arrived.

You are absolutely right... that bike is far too heavy to ride on that carrier. First, it's unlikely that the rear receiver will stand that much weight for long without either dropping the bike on the highway, or at a minimum bending or breaking the frame on your trailer. Second, you won't have much difficulty towing under 55 mph 'cause I doubt you'll make it that high before the negative hitch weight causes your trailer to go into a fatal sway episode that will crash your rig. Your tongue weight on a Scamp 16 is only around 200 lbs loaded (depending on floor plan), and leveraging nearly 300 lbs on the other end will give you around 100 lbs tugging upward on the tongue. NOT cool, and hugely unsafe. Load the bike into the bed of the Ranger, but don't try this.

The Scamp website lists the rear receiver option as a "2" receiver for bike rack". Frankly, I won't even carry standard bicycles on the rear of a trailer; first, they get beat to death back there, and secondly they unload hitch weight.

Roger

[Tim Wood]

If you still have that ranger for your tug, I'd put it standing up in the back of it. That's where I use to carry my motorcycles when I had them and had a pickup also.

[rudock1]

One of the Scampers has it down. See the Scampers_Modifications group (need to join to view):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Scampers_Mod...=20&dir=asc

I've been saving Kamper Bob's photo to inspire me to do the same thing:




His motorcycle weighs 300 lbs. The Scamper forum has a follow-up discussion about how much the headlights are affected and various state laws etc. very interesting. Like he said, the gawkers are stopping traffic when he rolls through!

thx
Billy

[Dan R]

I have to say I am pretty scared of what people will do to "bring along" their possessions. The point of going camping (I thought) was to "get away" and be in nature. Sure the innovation of making things comfortable make this list great but there seems to be a dangerous side to the ingenuity of some rver's. I don't think I am being out of line when I say safety should be the first consideration when addressing towing an rv. I have seen a Prius with a tow hitch. U'haul will do anything it seems.

[Pete Dumbleton]

KB's rig is a Fifth Wheel Hitch, not a towed ball hitch -- His overhang is measured in inches and fractions, yours is measure in feet and inches -- Biiiiiiiig difference.

Trailer sway effect on HIS tow is a sideways force with a verrrrrry short lever-arm and sideways effect on YOUR tow will be with a longer lever -- Even if you get the tongue weight right, the leverage will likely get you one day, esp if you use anti-sway friction bars incorrectly!

This is a really bad idea -- People have experienced sway effect by just putting a bicycle on the back, much less weight and much closer to the trailer COG.

Not so long ago, I saw a video made by CEO of U-Haul with a bunch of concrete blocks on an open trailer -- He shifted the blocks to the rear and it made an extreme change in the way the trailer started steering the car.... Can't find it, but did find this advice on the UHaul.com site:

"Load your trailer with at least 60% of the cargo weight in the front half of the trailer closest to your car."

This is one of those situations where "I can do it" can easily put you in a head-on with innocent party(s).

I would be afraid to tow that rig with a one Ton turbo-diesel dually with ST tires pumped to 85 psi!

I should add once again that towing is not just about power, it's also about steering and stopping and the steering goes out the window when sway takes over because the rig isn't balanced properly -- The very worst place that one can load weight, sway-wise, is as far to the rear of the trailer axle as possible!

Were it me, I would put the bike in the back of the truck and use a WDH if it sags too much -- Air shocks, Air bag springs, overload springs don't do a thing to put the front wheels properly on the ground -- They only level the body to give the illusion of a level tow...

BTW, that is a really nice bike rack -- Can you put a front receiver hitch on the Mazda and carry it there? That would be far better.

[Al V]

while camping at a great state park in North Carolina, there was a Scamp or Casita few site over.
the couple had something to do with old Willy's jeeps pieces and parts red wagon something ..... any way he had a motorcycle holder on the back of his pick em up then the ball for the egg. Crazy maybe
but the said it was working great for them. the bike was not all that big 250 maybe 350 cc.
Red if you are out there please pipe in on the details of your rig and did it ever break down!

[Denis C]

Adrian W, congrats on your new toy, Enduro bikes are lots of fun, I have a Suzuki DR-Z400 which I take on camping trips and I also use the camper as a base at organized trail rides.
I have to agree with Roger H, trailer sway will be the biggest problem even at speeds below 55 mph.
When I first got my boler it had a storage box on the back and that was enough to cause sway and it was nowhere near the weight of a Trailbike.
The bike is best carried in the bed of a pick-up truck TV, I put mine in the back of a fullsize van, I have to compress the forks with a ratchet strap tiedown to get it in there.
Campsite setup pic

[Phil Underwood]

nice bike, we used to haul mine all over Texas, racing enduros, hair and hound scrambles,
and alot of motocross..

Lets see more pics of the bike...

Here is pic of my old Yamaha YZ 250

[Mike Magee]

It could be done. You just have to buy a 2nd bike and mount it on the front of the trailer... now you have one in back and one in front, nicely balanced.

But I think the bigger challenge would be getting that rear one attached securely enough so it won't break welds and fall off.

[Adrian W]

For All Your Replies. I must agree, I am fearful of trying to haul it on the back of the Scamp.
My son and I did some contemplating on where I could haul such a beast this summer. One idea was like Billy suggested below, off the front of the pick-up. I was wondering about the headlights, how covered they would be. On the carrier was another one, but the swaying was my concern. Also maybe too much weight for the rear hitch, but I think it is sturdy enough for it. Scamp says for bike rack, but they must be conservative for legal reasons on things like that. But I could be wrong.

My son solved his problem of hauling his 650cc enduro by pulling a small trailer. I was thinking of doing the same, but then didn't know if it was legal. My daughter in law told me tonight that they had searched the state laws and it was legal in all the states between New Mexico and North Dakota. I am now leaning again on the concept of towing a very small trailer behind the scamp with the Yamaha on it. May have to get a bigger pick up.

As a couple of people suggested, the safest and easiest place would be in the bed of the pick up, but I have a lot of stuff there under the tonuo. Or just leave it at home. But they are so much fun.

Dan R, The point of going camping is to "get away" and be in nature and what better way to get away and into nature than a quiet motorcycle ride away from camp into a forest, or desert away from people. Or to just cruise along a forest road or highway. As for taking comfort along, that is why I am in a Scamp and not a tent or just a cot or hammock between two trees. I like getting away and into a neat place and have some comfort along as well. As my mother in law says, To Each His Own. I just can get by with a little less in size to be comfortable, ei a Scamp.

Again I must say, Thanks! Just wanted to see what some of you guys would have in ways of suggestions. I may have to give the carrier a try, just to see. I can use it behind the Ranger without the Scamp around town or on trips without the Scamp. I'm leaning towards a small bike trailer as the way to go. But it would not be right in some states. As long as New Mexico and Colorado are cool with it, that would be good. South and North Dakota would make it great and maybe Wyoming, too. Arizona would make it nice as well and California would be neat.

Thanks again. I am open to all comments. Let'em come.

Billy, thanks for the photos of the front bike carrier. I am adding photos of my son's bike trailer behind his 5th Wheel from this summer.

Phil Underwood, WOW! How do you do that! Crazy Jumps!
I quess I can see how you did it, a earthen burm, but how did you land and still be with us to write a reply.

[Phil Underwood]

lol.. there was a landing ramp

[Frederick L. Simson]

May have to get a bigger pick up.

Thanks again. I am open to all comments. Let'em come.

How about a small used UHaul van, with a roll-up door in back?
You'll become very popular with all your friends who have to move stuff, when you're not out camping.

[Adrian W]

Some photos of the bike on a ride behind A Mountain as for Aggies, New Mexico State University. Not sure if it is BLM land or NMSU. Very close to both.

Ooops! I added some twice.

[Booker B.]

I had an xt225 for a few years - great bike. They also had an excellent forum at http://www.xt225.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cfrm if you have not yet visited it. I see they have included the new xt250 (Serow)

[BC Paul]

Here is the setup that works for me;
Two dirtbikes, WR 250 and TTR 125 in the back of the pickup and one TTR 90 on a motorcycle hitch carrier hung off the back of the Escape 17'. The TTR 90 plus carrier is about 180lbs. With this setup the loss of tongue weight was 25lbs. (checked with a scale before and after) I have dragged this combo up the Coquihalla once and half a dozen times to a great riding/camping spot outside of Hope. I have experienced no sway or anything else that would be of concern. A larger and heavier bike might be a problem. I did have Reace install extra bolts through the floor and frame at the rear to prevent any damage the extra weight may inflict on the camper. In order to carry all the gear needed to dirtbike safely I do mount a Thule box on the cab of the truck.

[Adrian W]

Photo of my son's 2008 Kawasaki KLX650 stuck in a "bog" in the Black Hills of SD in June 2008. A wet weather spring had created a bog in the forest road on a hillside. It was like quick sand, with water coming up. We had to tow it out with his Dodge Dulley Diesel. Cost $25 to get them cleaned up at a car wash in Custer.

Also a couple of photos of it after the bog down in T. Roosevelt Nat'l Park. And one of it on it's trailer on the way home after the bog down.

I plan on keeping out of boggy places with my Yamaha XL250. However, it being a lot lighter, it shouldn't get bogged down as easy.

[Denis C]

Great photos Adrain W.
Here is one of my favorite pics, it was taken in 2001 when I first got my Dualsport bike.
The pic shows my son posing with the bike, he rode pillion that day.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/Dend...birch_ridge.jpg

[Adrian W]

Dennis, very nice photo of your son and the bike.

After winterizing my Scamp today, I rode up to Soledad Canyon area of the Organ
Mountains to the Day Use Area east of Las Cruces, New Mexico. It was a nice ride up, I took some side detours into housing areas just to see what was there. I took some photos at the Day Use Area, walked a little ways up the trail. Then came back down and rode up toward the Cox Ranch - Dripping Springs Area to get a few pictures of the Organs. Both are part of the BLM Area. On the way home, the sun went down. It was getting chili but not too bad. A fun ride. I want to ride over to Aguirre Spring Campground located on the east side of Organ Mountains east of Las Cruces. I am working up to a longer ride. I was wanting to make a 2 or 3 day campout up there with the Scamp, but it never worked outl Maybe later. http://www.freecampgrounds.com/detail.aspx?id=2726

Here is a link to some of the photos from todays ride as well other rides.

http://s286.photobucket.com/albums/ll120/D...mview=slideshow

But here are some of them from today: